This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today! We appreciate you for being here. Especially after that Super Bowl. What a game, huh?
Alright. Enough with the chit-chat. I’ll get to it because I’m certain some of you are blowing a gasket right now after reading that headline. You’re not reading it incorrectly.
I believe that Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback any of us have ever seen. Before you hit me with a “well, actually” — probably with some, uh, let’s just call them choice words attached — just hear me out.
I can understand why someone would disagree here. I’ve heard all the arguments before. He’s only been in the league for seven years. He’s already lost a Super Bowl to Tom Brady and Brady’s got seven. Joe Montana’s got four. Mahomes only has three. He’s still got a long way to go before then. I get it.
But there are two things I would say to you in response that may or may not shift your opinion on this.
The first is that he’s got plenty of time here. Just like Brady, he’s already won three Super Bowls by the time he’s 28 years old. But, unlike Brady, I would argue that Mahomes has legitimately been the catalyst for his team winning all three of his first championships.
Obviously, football is a team sport. Mahomes isn’t the only player contributing to these Chiefs’ Super Bowl wins. But there’s a reason he has three Super Bowl MVPs to Brady’s two in that same spam. His playoff numbers so far also dwarf Brady’s. He’s been more impactful while being just as steady a hand at QB. Mahomes has 41 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards to Brady’s 20 touchdowns and 3,217 yards. Part of that is era, obviously, but 41 touchdowns are still 41 touchdowns. There’s no denying that.
There’s no reason to think Mahomes and the Chiefs won’t keep this pace up, either. He’s been to the AFC title game every single year of his career. He’s also been to four Super Bowls where he’s now won three of them. And you can argue that he just went back-to-back with the most flawed team he’s ever played on. There’s a world where things only get better from here. I think we’re living in it.
RELATED: Kevin Harlan stamps the Chiefs’ dynasty with this radio call
That’s the first point. I didn’t forget about the second. And that’s this: Sometimes, you just know it when you see it, right?
You can just see greatness when it lines up in front of you. That’s how it felt watching Tiger Woods play golf in his prime. It’s like, yeah, I’ve seen a lot of good. I know what great looks like. But I’ve never seen anything like that.
That’s what it feels like to watch Mahomes to me.
Rattle off whatever Super Bowl numbers you want. You can yell at me until you’re blue in the face about ring count and head-to-head matchups.
But, setting that reductive math aside, every season that I’ve watched Mahomes I’ve seen him do things no other quarterback could dream of. If you took all of the best traits from some of the most remarkable quarterbacks in NFL history and put them into one person, that person would be Mahomes. He’s a created player. It’s literally like he’s out there playing Madden sometimes.
His arm is a rocket launcher that somehow shoots darts at balloons. His mind is like a supercomputer — he already processes the game just like his predecessors and he’s only 28. He can also make plays with his legs that most of them never could.
Look, I’m not saying that you have to agree with me. I’m not even saying that those other guys don’t still have a claim here. You’re free to have your own opinion about this. But the reality is I’m just beating you to the punch here.
Sooner or later, you’ll come around. The wins will keep stacking up. The trophies will keep going to Kansas City. And, eventually, Mahomes will win you over, too. Because that’s what he does, man. He wins.
Patrick Mahomes is inevitable.
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The 49ers fumbled — again
All eyes are on Kyle Shanahan today with the 49ers blowing a double-digit lead in the Super Bowl again to Mahomes and the Chiefs.
I don’t think a lot of this loss was on Shanahan. He called a good game. His players’ execution was lacking. A muffed punt turned the game around. Missed blocks at the line of scrimmage cost San Francisco touchdowns. That’s not on the coach.
But the decision to receive the ball in overtime? That is on Shanahan. And, ultimately, it cost the 49ers, writes our Prince Grimes.
“Under the NFL’s new playoff overtime rules, both teams get a chance to possess the ball regardless of whether the first team scores — a rule inspired by the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. The new rules give the kicking team an advantage because they know exactly what they need to do in order to win or extend the game once they get the ball. By taking the ball first, Shanahan robbed his team of that advantage. How the extra period unfolded perfectly demonstrated that.
…
Shanahan said he chose to receive because it would have allowed San Francisco the first crack on offense once the game went to sudden-death after both teams possessed the ball. But this was simply an offensive mastermind outsmarting himself yet again. He put the cart before the horse. He was worried about the future without taking care of the present. The decision didn’t trump all the other things San Francisco did (or didn’t do) to cost themselves the game, but it’ll be the mistake we remember the most.”
It was clear the 49ers didn’t have a great understanding of how overtime works in the playoffs. The players have admitted as much. That lack of preparation there cost San Francisco in the end and it makes Shanahan look like a much worse coach today than he should.
Ultimately, I don’t think this should lead to any “hot seat” talk. But, man, that’s not a good look.
RELATED: Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers are in danger of becoming one of the best teams to never win a Super Bowl
Usher did that
Listen, as fun as the game was, I won’t lie to y’all — the halftime show might’ve been my favorite part of the night.
Hearing Usher play hit after hit from the last 30 years gave me life when the game, itself, wasn’t providing any. Our Bryan Kalbrosky did a quick halftime review of Usher’s performance:
“The incredible musician, who arrived at the Super Bowl while seemingly wearing a blanket, had a tough act to follow after a delightful performance from Rihanna last season.
But we are talking about Usher, who took over Las Vegas long before he was tasked with performing at the Super Bowl. Remember, there is a reason why GQ called him the new king of Vegas.
This was a fantastic all-around performance from Usher, who kept the energy high at Allegiant Stadium after an uneventful first half between the 49ers and the Chiefs.”
Sixteen songs in one performance, man. That dude is a legend. Watch the entire thing here if you missed it.
Quick hits: Our first NFL Power Rankings … Taylor and Travis have their moment … and more
— Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski already have their final power ranking of the NFL season out. See where everyone lines up after the Chiefs here.
— Mics caught sound of this adorable moment between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the Chiefs’ win. Caroline Darney has more.
— Here’s Robert on the 49ers potentially becoming one of the best teams to never win a Super Bowl.
— Here’s Christian on the four things the Chiefs did to stifle the 49ers on their way to another Super Bowl. Impressive stuff, man.
— Tony Romo has to learn when to let a moment breathe, man. Sheesh. Here’s Charles Curtis on that.
— Meghan Hall was tapped into the Nickelodeon broadcast for the Super Bowl and, BOY, it seems like it was a great time.
That’s all, folks! Happy Super Bowl Monday! Let’s chat again tomorrow. Until then, peace. We out.
-Sykes ✌️